This invention relates to a diagnostic apparatus, particularly a cardiac diagnostic apparatus, with a housing, a power supply unit provided in the housing, a transmit-receive unit provided at the housing, and electrodes for application to the body and measurement by recording of electrical body signals.
The cardiac diagnostic apparatus of the class specified is known from DE-PS 197 07 681 (C1). With the known apparatus, by means of the electrodes which are fixed (permanently) to the rear of the apparatus, electrical body signals, for example, ECG signals, are recorded and transmitted via a mobile telephone provided in the same housing, for example, a cellular phone, to a remote location. Said remote location can, for example, be a hospital, an emergency call station or the like.
However, it is obvious that the radio signals, above all, those which the apparatus itself transmits, can put at risk the lives of patients carrying an implanted pacemaker. For example, it is known that mobile telephones may not be used in aircraft or anywhere in the vicinity of sensitive electronics.
It is the task of the present invention to so improve a generic diagnostic apparatus that endangerment of the patient is avoided to the greatest extent possible.
The foregoing task is achieved in that, when operating the apparatus to record electrical body signals, at least the transmit function and, where appropriate, other function not serving for the measurement can be disconnected.
The solution in accordance with the invention particularly has the following advantages:
This type of diagnostic apparatus is particularly used in patients with existing cardiac injury. Such patients frequently carry an implanted pacemaker (globally ca. 1 million), which often, especially in emergencies, is overlooked. In a critical moment, patients may possibly not point this out or are unable to do so because of their condition. Above all, pacemakers are prone to considerable interference due to the transmit-receive electronics of mobile telephones, especially when using the diagnostic apparatus in close proximity to the heart, as this possibly may trigger dangerous cardiac rhythm disorders. This can be avoided in that, when placing the apparatus in a condition ready for measuring, the send-receive equipment is automatically disabled in accordance with the invention.
Further, the steps may be, e.g., switching the display field to measurement, the actuation of a measurement key or the like.
Particularly preferred are electrodes (as a rule 3-5 electrodes) in a first condition of the diagnostic apparatus which are not open (i.e., they are covered, for example), and by uncovering at least one electrode, this will disable at least the transmit function and, where appropriate, other functions not serving for the measurement
Particularly preferred are electrodes covered by an overall or individual cover, the removal of which at least disables the transmit function, and, where appropriate, other functions not serving for the measurement
Such a cover easily makes it evident that, in order to use the apparatus as a diagnostic apparatus, an action must be performed. This action then disables the communication function of the apparatus (for instance, by means of the microswitch connected to the cap or covers), while in case of several covers, the removal of one cover suffices to disable said function.
Further, the connection of a patient cable is understood as a corresponding activation of the apparatus for measurement.